UK Jazz Studies presents 17th annual Big Band Blast April 4
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 30, 2026) — The University of Kentucky School of Music Jazz Studies program presents the 17th annual Big Band Blast, joined by the Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors and the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra’s (CKYO) Jazz Arts Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4, in the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall.
Big Band Blast will feature performances with guest artist Vern Sielert, D.M.A., professor of trumpet and director of jazz studies at the University of Idaho. Sielert serves as director of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and is a former member of the University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band. He is in high demand as a performer, composer, arranger and educator, with recordings appearing on Origins Records and arrangements published by Sierra Music.
The UK Jazz Ensemble (UKJE) has performed under the direction of Miles Osland since 1989, and has a highly regarded regional, national and international reputation. For this concert the ensemble is under the direction of Raleigh Dailey, Ph.D., professor of jazz studies at UK.
The jazz ensemble has given invitational performances at the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference and Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. In July 2011, UKJE toured France, Switzerland and the Netherlands, performing at some of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals. The ensemble is also busy in the recording studio. Five recordings from UK Jazz Studies have been recommended for Grammy nominations and received four-star reviews from DOWNBEAT magazine. The jazz ensemble has also received the prestigious DeeBee award in the category of Best Jazz Instrumental Studio Orchestra from DOWNBEAT.
The Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors (BAJA) is a popular performing ensemble affiliated with the Bluegrass Area Jazz Association, a nonprofit organization committed to the promotion of jazz education and the performance of jazz in Central Kentucky. The group includes musicians from the community, both professional and amateur, and students from UK Jazz Studies. David Hummel serves as musical director for BAJA, joining Miles Osland as artistic director. BAJA regularly performs in many places including UK’s Singletary Center, Ecton Park and other outdoor festivals, as well as with local middle and high school bands.
The CKYO Jazz Arts Orchestra, under Dailey’s direction, is an exciting big band composed of some of Kentucky’s best high school jazz musicians. Students are selected by audition and benefit from opportunities to meet members of UK's music faculty, attend master classes, hear UK faculty and student ensembles, and perform with other outstanding musicians from Kentucky and surrounding states.
Tickets for the 17th annual Big Band Blast are $14 for adults and $7 for students with a valid school ID. Additional fees may apply to online purchases. UK students may receive one free ticket with their student IDs, available exclusively in-person at the Singletary Center for the Arts Ticket Office. All seating is general admission. Tickets may be purchased through the Singletary Center ticket office by visiting www.scfatickets.com, calling 859-257-4929 or in person at the Singletary Center.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.